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Gabo Murcia

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Voter ID laws in the 2012 election

How can this push by the right to marginalize thousands of voters be accepted? Have they presented any statistical evidence that shows fraud as a significant detriment to democratic process?

Topics: 2012 US election Rights american politics voting
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  • John Smith 30+

    • +1
    Oct 2 2012: "How can this push by the right to marginalize thousands of voters be accepted?"

    Most AMericans have a driver's license, which is a valid ID, so the new voter laws only hurt the fringes, people who wouldn't make their voices heard anyway. I used to think it was a lot of fuzz about nothing, until I found out that in the US state and federal departments issue their own identification cards (such as medicare cards) that don't count as valid IDs according to the new voting laws. In Europe voter ID laws are common, but there exist only three kinds of government issued IDs and they are all considered valid for voting purposes (and you need one for every dealing with city hall or the government, so everyone has one).

    "Have they presented any statistical evidence that shows fraud as a significant detriment to democratic process?"

    No, they haven't.

    • Gabo Murcia

      • 0
      Oct 2 2012: So are you in favor of the law?

      • John Smith 30+

        • +1
        Oct 2 2012: If a medicare card is good enough for the federal government when it comes to providing expensive health care I don't see why it wouldn't be good enough in the voting booth. As it stands the new voter ID laws single out some photo IDs over others, while the US isn't Europe with its neatly standardized IDs that legally have to be accepted everywhere. So I think the US should either get a decent ID system, or get rid of these voter ID laws.
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      James Zediana

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      Oct 4 2012: And you haven't proved otherwise either

      What is wrong with requesting ID to prove you are not commiting fraud? Both sides agree it happens and only one side wants to do anything about it.

      So why? Common sense says if it seems that a side wants to prevent this fraud they are benefitting from it.

      I for one stand for a lawful society and enforcing the laws we have.

      As for the ID compramise and get over it. Most voter ID laws have a wide variety of IDs acceptable except a few states which go crazy. I do agree it would be nice if we had a federal ID good for all things but we don't. If you don't like your states laws get involved or move.

      • Comment deleted

      • John Smith 30+

        • 0
        Oct 4 2012: "What is wrong with requesting ID to prove you are not commiting fraud?"

        The issue is not identification, otherwise medicare cards would be accepted.

        "and only one side wants to do anything about it."

        If they really believe government issued medicare cards are not secure then why the hell isn't replacing those with photo IDs the top priority? We know voter fraud is relatively rare, while medicare is a $600 billion program, so again, if the security risk is that great then why is there no campaign to make all government issued IDs photo IDs that are valid in the voting booth? Besides, by European security standards American driver licenses are cheap knock-offs made by some amateur in his basement. So why not require a passport to vote? Oh wait, that would mean crushing democrat victories everywhere.

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